title: Selective gray matter staining of human brain slices: optimized use of cadaver materials.
abstract: We report a novel staining technique for human brain slices that distinguishes clearly gray from white matter. Previously described techniques using either Prussian blue (Berlin blue) or phthalocyanine dyes usually have included a hot phenol pretreatment to prevent white matter staining. The technique we describe here does not require hot phenol pretreatment and allows the use of brains stored for postmortem periods of one to two years prior to staining. Our technique involves staining with copper(II) phthalocyanine-tetrasulfonic acid tetrasodium salt 1% in water for 2 h followed by acetic acid treatment; this produces excellent blue staining of gray matter with little white matter staining. The stained brain slices are excellent for teaching human brain anatomy and/or pathology, or for research purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0521, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Loftspring
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smanik
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pixley
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002102:Cadaver; D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D005295:Ferrocyanides; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D005026:Ethylene Glycols; D005295:Ferrocyanides; D007211:Indoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C056110:copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid; C005398:phenoxyethanol; C000170:ferric ferrocyanide